Mycobacteriology Research Center

Mycobacteriology Research Centre (MRC) is the part of National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (NRITLD) in Iran. This center is recognized as the only national reference TB laboratory in the country on the base of its scientific capabilities and competent workers. The collection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains in this laboratory is noteworthy in the world. Conventional methods including smear microscopy, culture and drug susceptibility testing is routinely performed in this laboratory. Moreover, based on WHO protocols for rapid screening of TB, new diagnostic and epidemiological assays (RFLP, Spoligotyping and VNTR) were developed in the center. One of the most important goals of MRC is to fulfill the educational, diagnostic, and research needs in the field of TB at the national and international Level. The procedures to achieve these goals are being pursued according to the standard of CDC, ASM, WHO and, IULTD.

The center is also responsible for evaluating the quality control and quality assurance of TB laboratories across the country. In addition to diagnostic services and educational activities that conducted in MRC, many research projects was performed in collaborates with several European universities and research centers such as the Institute Pasteur, Belarusian Research Centre, Swedish University of Gothenburg and Karolinska and Malaysian University of UM.